Quincy, right, was an encouraging friend, helping out wherever she could. Photo by Kalyn Pfaff.

On Jan. 1, the MNU community lost a vibrant and well-loved student, Quincy Foster. While many on campus had the opportunity to know Quincy, many others are left wondering what life would have been like had their paths been allowed to cross.

Upon one’s first meeting with Quincy, she would seem reserved. “She was reserved at first because you are reserved,” said Joey Alligier, MNU student and friend of Quincy, “it was natural. You automatically assume friendship.”

It didn’t take long for the reserve to wear off, however.

“It was the first week of preseason, and she already seemed like she knew everyone on campus,” said Kalyn Pfaff, MNU student and friend of Quincy, “I was like, ‘we’re brand new here. How do you already know everyone?’ She was always running up and talking to people.”

As a part of the women’s soccer team during her first year at MNU, Quincy was busy. In her free time, though — when not hanging out with friends — she could be found watching Netflix, listening to piano music, or writing songs.

She was quirky, known to have liked sweet tarts, but not the green ones. According to Pfaff, she would throw her green sweet tarts at people near her, telling them to eat them for her. She loved pulling pranks and thrived on being goofy. She was the inventor of the Birthday Crew, a group that would go outside the window at midnight on someone’s birthday and make a lot of noise.

She was a very vocal, energetic person, often thinking out loud. Many times, these thought processes would turn into rants, but when she told you she was “over it,” it was completely behind her.

Quincy made time for friendship. Even though she lived at home for her last semester and dealt with an increasingly busy nursing major’s schedule, she was there for her friends. She would write letters of encouragement, and truly care about the people she was around.

“She was whatever you needed her to be,” Pfaff said, “if you needed a serious conversation, or if you wanted to be silly, she was right there with you.”

As a teammate, she had a good attitude. Though she only played one season of soccer at MNU, she was always encouraging and supportive. She was approachable, awkward and weird, and it gave the people around her room to be weird too. She was simple; she didn’t expect or require a lot.

She lived for the small moments. Alligier recounted how he and Quincy once ate ten bowls of Fruity Pebbles while in Campus Center, because they thought that they might be name brand Fruity Pebbles. Quincy, far right, loved to make the little moments great. Photo by Kalyn Pfaff.

“If we were in[side] watching Netflix, it was going to be the best night watching Netflix ever,” said Pfaff. “If we were going to make a Walmart run, it was going to be the best Walmart run we ever made.”

Quincy lived to make the little things really great.

Josh Woodward, MNU student and friend of Quincy, joked about how it was Quincy’s goal to be in campus center from open to close. “It had all of her favorite things: Dr. Pepper, cereal, and people,” Woodward said.

Quincy was a very passionate person. “If you were passionate about something, she was passionate about it, at least for a little while,” Alligier said. She wanted to travel as a nurse, doing mission work and ministering to the world in places people don’t usually go.

She was also passionate about her family. She was close with them, loved to spend time with them and support them. According to Lauren Roberts, MNU student and friend of Quincy, she talked about her brothers a lot. She liked being a pastor’s kid, and helping plant churches. Her cousins grew to be like her siblings, since she lived with them for eight months after moving from Arizona. Even though she couldn’t read music, Quincy would play instruments and sing with her family. From there, she got the confidence to worship on stage during chapel and through one of MNU’s serve teams.

Quincy was the kind of person who was easy going and relaxed one moment and off the wall the next. Dylan Aebersold mentioned how in Haiti, Quincy didn’t complain even though she had many opportunities to. During her time in Haiti, Quincy helped to finish building a medical clinic. Alligier said that she was a willing and passionate worker, whether as a leader or behind the scenes. He said that one of her goals was to go back to Haiti, since she grew to have a deep love for the people there.

Alligier said that Quincy was always there, both for and with people, and that she was willing to just hang out. She practiced servant leadership, her love for God evident in her actions and in her love for others. When speaking of Quincy, Alligier said that she would want people to know that, “life is too short to not take advantage of moments right in front of you, the people, places, and lofty goals that seem far away. There are so many steps you can take now. Also, she would want people to know that corn dogs are really good, especially when fifty cents.” Alligier said that as hard as it is to find hope during this time of grieving, he goes back to how Quincy would react.

“She would be brokenhearted, but an anchor. She would find the positive outlook and she would worship through song.”